Murray Oliver was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played as a center in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 17 seasons. He was born on December 14, 1936, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Oliver began his hockey career in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) with the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters in 1953. He played for the team for two seasons before moving to the Guelph Royals in 1955.
Oliver was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 1957 and made his NHL debut in the same year. He played for the Red Wings for four seasons before being traded to the Boston Bruins in 1961. He played for the Bruins for two seasons before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1963. Oliver played for the Maple Leafs for two seasons before being traded to the Minnesota North Stars in 1965.
Oliver played for the North Stars for six seasons and was named the team's captain in 1968. He was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1971 and played for the team for three seasons before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1974. Oliver played for the Maple Leafs for one season before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 1975.
Oliver played for the Canucks for three seasons and was named the team's captain in 1976. He retired from professional hockey in 1978 but returned to play for the Edmonton Oilers in 1979. Oliver played for the Oilers for one season before retiring from professional hockey for good in 1980.
Throughout his NHL career, Oliver played in 1,127 games and scored 274 goals and 454 assists for a total of 728 points. He was known for his strong defensive play and was a two-time finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL's best defensive forward.
After retiring from professional hockey, Oliver worked as a coach and scout for various NHL teams. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Kings from 1983 to 1987 and worked as a scout for the New York Rangers from 1987 to 1994. Oliver also worked as a scout for the Detroit Red Wings from 1994 to 2009.
Oliver passed away on December 29, 2014, at the age of 78. He was remembered by his former teammates and colleagues as a hardworking and dedicated player who was respected by everyone in the hockey community.
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